A Boston College sports blog capturing the highs and lows of being a BC fan living 1,000 miles from Chestnut Hill.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Basketball Primer: Tyrese Rice

Al Skinner is coming off his worst year since the Troy Bell turnaround. He has a solid nucleus of young returning players, some new faces and a star in Tyrese Rice. Can it all come together and get BC back in the postseason? We will soon find out. In the meantime, let's take a closer look at the guy whose upside will determine the season: Tyrese Rice.

What you need to knowThe storyline is that Rice came back because he was didn't want to leave BC a loser. The truth is probably that his build and game don't translate well to the NBA. Regardless of what his motivation is, hopefully Rice plays with a chip on his shoulder and gets this team into some postseason tournament. Rice carried this team for much of last season. This year he'll be asked to do the same but in more of a distributor role. But I still think we could see another 40-point game or two if he is really feeling it.

StrengthsGreat shooter from anywhere. He won't be bothered by the new 3-point line. Showed he can score driving to the basket. Ice cold from the FT line. Can score on anyone in the ACC. Has the ability to take over games single-handedly.

IssuesInconsistent defender. Has yet to prove he can shutdown the top guards in the ACC. Needs to make more of an effort to get his teammates involved in the offense when he is not making his shots.

MiscellaneousAssuming he stays healthy, he should become the seventh player to score 2,000 points in his BC career.

OutlookRice is one of the best players in the ACC and can be one of the best players in the country. An improved defensive effort and getting his teammates more involved could be enough to swing BC's record over .500. If he can get BC off the bubble and into the tournament, BC could be a dangerous team just on his potential alone (see Stephen Curry's run with Davidson). I like Rice and hope he does round out his game and ends his BC career on a high note.